Paul Flemming: Case by case, TPD's reputation crumbles

Nov. 21, 2013

Three grand jury presentments in the last five years have found fault with TPD. / Democrat files

Written by

Capital Ideas

Paul Flemming

More

ADVERTISEMENT

And now the Tallahassee Police Department reaps the whirlwind.

At a time when national audiences are hearing the most disparaging characterizations of TPD, when daily our own pages are filled with the missteps of this agency, when its fellow citizens have three times specifically and unequivocally condemned the department, the leadership of our city and of this police department should be able to rely on a store of good will.

This is not possible. Any check they wish to draw on their credibility account is overdrawn.

There is no benefit of the doubt to extend to TPD.

That privilege has been used up.

Three grand jury presentments in the last five years lay out a case that TPD does not follow its own rules, policies and procedures. One of the presentments was issued the very same day the current whirlwind was spinning up to full strength.

After Rachel Hoffman was killed in 2008, a grand jury concluded TPD was negligent in her death.

“During the course of our review of the facts, it became apparent to us that negligent conduct on the part of the Tallahassee Police Department and D.E.A. attributed to Ms. Hoffman’s death,” the grand jury wrote on Aug. 1, 2008. “There is no doubt that Andrea Green and Deneilo Bradshaw are the ones that brutally murdered Rachel Hoffman. But through poor planning and supervision, and a series of mistakes throughout the Transaction, T.P.D. handed Ms. Hoffman to Bradshaw and Green to rob and kill her as they saw fit.”

An ill-advised, poorly planned, policy-contrary shootout in January resulted in another round from a grand jury.

“We believe TPD was negligent in their failure to comply with the Mutual Aid Agreement. And the result is that a police officer was almost killed and a community was put in danger,” a March grand-jury presentment stated.

Our reporting since July has documented the fast-and-loose, error-prone, lean-toward-suppression approach the department takes to transparency, openness and fidelity to the state’s Sunshine Law.

In the sexual-battery case of Dec. 7, 2012, I fervently wish that all will reserve judgment of every individual involved.

(Page 2 of 2)

The same grace cannot be extended to the Tallahassee Police Department.

The evidence is too overwhelming.

On Nov. 12, with TPD’s case file on the sexual-battery case involving Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston — a case file that had been categorized as inactive since February — sitting on an assistant state attorney’s desk, a grand jury issued a presentment about the August DUI arrest of Christina West.

“Your grand Jurors conclude that TPD is in need of additional review and enforcement of policies and procedures,” the presentment said. “This is demonstrated not only by this incident, but by the prior incidents addressed by previous Grand Juries and multiple lawsuits based on the actions of a few which are costly to our city and its reputation as a great place to live. These actions do a disservice to the many fine officers who tirelessly serve this community with compassion and integrity.”

In that report, the grand jurors summarized not only the two previous presentments but a summary of consequences at TPD.

A paraphrase of those consequences: None.

Money, as with the outcome of football games and national awards, is a secondary consideration. But make no mistake about the exposure now faced by the taxpayers of the city of Tallahassee.

Back up the claims truck and get out the taxpayer-funded checkbook, because the liability faced by our city government and our municipal police force is so huge as to make even the most hardened plaintiff’s attorney weep.

At last it is not TPD that will bear the consequences of the prophet Hosea’s “sowing the wind.” It is all of us.